Ordnance loading system

ABSTRACT

AN ORDNANCE LOADING SYSTEM THAT PERMITS MANUAL FINAL POSITIONING OF THE ORDNANCE. THE ORDNANCE IS SUPPORTED ON THE LIFT BOOM OF A LOW PROFILE LIFT TRUCK BY A PLURALITY OF FLEXIBLE SUPPORT MEMBERS, SUCH AS PNEUMATIC SPRINGS, RUBBER SHEAR PADS, ETC. THE LIFT TRUCK IS OPERATED TO VERTICALLY AND HORIZONTALLY POSITION THE ORDNANCE AFTER WHICH THE POSITION OF THE ORDNANCE IS MANUALLY FINALLY ADJUSTED AGAINST THE ACTION OF THE FLEXIBLE SUPPORT MEMBERS.

Sept 21,l 1971 s, MANKEY 3,606,952

ORDNANCE LOADING SYSTEM Filed uarcn'u, 1969 l i .3 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR;

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ORDNANCE LOADING SYSTEM ATTOR NEYS United States Patent O "Ice 3,606,952 ORDNANCE LOADING SYSTEM Harry S. Mankey, Dallas, Tex., assignor to Standard Manufacturing Co., Inc., Dallas, Tex. Filed Mar. 24, 1969, Ser.' No. 809,638

Int. Cl. B25j 3/00; B66f 3/18 U.S. Cl. 214-1D 10 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The main difficulty encountered in loading bombs and other ordnance into aircraft stems from the fact that the bombs, which often weigh as much as several tons, must be very accurately positioned before they can be attached to the aircraft. In the past, bomb loading lift trucks and lift tables have been equipped with hydraulic motors which rotate the bombs about as many as three axes and shift the bombs in as many as three directions in order to achieve the required positioning. Bomb loading systems of this type operate satisfactorily but are slow in operation and expensive to purchase.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A vertical and horizontal positioning device and at least one resilient member for supporting the article on the positioning device and for permitting relative motion between the article and the positioning de vice. More particularly, a vehicle including a lifting mechanism, an article receiving device and a plurality of resilient members for supporting the article receiving device on the lifting mechanism of the vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A more complete understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective, exploded View of a rst embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a reduced view showing the use of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3 3 in FIG. 1 showing the device in its assembled state;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the device shown in FIG. 3 showing the use of the device;

FIG. 5 is a top view of a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a partial, sectional, perspective view of the device shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 in FIG. 5 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 8 is a reduced view showing the use of the device shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a top view of a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a side view of the device shown in FIG. 9, and

FIG. 11 is aside view of a fourth embodiment of the invention in which certain parts have been broken away more clearly to illustrate certain features of the invention.

3,606,952 Patented Sept. 21, 1971 DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, and referring particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a first embodiment 10 of the invention comprised of an upper assembly 12, a middle assembly 14 and a lower assembly 116. The upper assembly 12 includes an ordnance receiving plate A18 mounted on a generally X-shaped frame 20 which has a bomb tie-down member 21 formed in each of its corners. The plate 18 has four relatively large valve receiving holes 22 formed through it and has four pairs of cap screw receiving holes 24 formed through it adjacent the valve receiving holes 22. The plate 18 also has a plurality of roller receiving holes 26 formed through it which are positioned in four groups, each group comprising an array of roller receiving holes 26 spread around one of the valve receiving holes 22.

The upper assembly 12 also includes four ordnance supporting roller assemblies 28 each of which is selectively positioned in one of the holes 26, depending upon the size of the ordnance to be supported. -Each roller assembly 28 includes a roller 30, a pin 32 that rotatably supports the roller 30 and a yoke 34 that supports the pin 32. A pivot 36 extends downwardly from the bottom of the yoke 34 for insertion into a selected roller assembly receiving hole 26. The pivots 36 have a slightly smaller diameter than the holes 26 so that the roller assemblies 28 are free to pivot about the pivots 36.

The middle assembly 14 includes a frame 38 and four pneumatic springs 40 positioned on the frame 38. The frame includes a plate 42 and side walls 44 which extend upwardly from the plate 42 and which are reinforced by' a pair of brace members 46. The pneumatic springs 40 are each comprised of a ilexible, air-filled bag 48 and a pair of attaching members 50y and 52 which are positioned at the upper and lower ends of the air bag 48, respectively. The upper attaching member 52 of each pneumatic spring 40 has a pair of threaded cap screw receiving holes 54 formed in it and has a valve 56 for its bag 48 extending through it.

The upper assembly 12 is assembled onto the middle assembly 14 with the generally X-shaped frame 20 of the upper assembly 12 positioned on the upper attaching members 52 of the pneumatic springs 40. The valves 56 of the pneumatic springs 40` extend through the valve receiving holes 22 of the plate 18 and a cap screw 58 is passed through each of the cap screw receiving holes 24 of the plate 18. The screws S8 extend into threaded interengagement with the cap screw receiving holes 54 of the pneumatic springs 40 and serve to secure the upper assembly 12 to the middle assembly 14.

The combination of the upper assembly 12 and the middle assembly 14 comprises a bomb receiving subassembly which may be used without further attachments as a bomb receiving adapter for bomb positioning tables. As is shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of locating pins 59 extend from the bottom of the plate 42 of the middle assembly 1'4. The pins 59 may be used to position the subassembly comprised of the upper assembly 12 and the middle assembly ;14 on a. lift table.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the lower assembly 16 includes a pair of fork lift receiving chambers 60 each formed from a pair of U-shaped members 62 which are positioned in facing relationship and welded together to form the chambers 60. A bomb tie-down member 64 is secured to the upper side of each end of each of the fork lift receiving chambers 60 for use in securing bombs to the first embodiment 10'. The lower assembly 16 further includes a pair of side members 66 which are welded to the fork lift receiving chambers 60 and a plurality of brackets 68, some of which are welded to the chambers 60 and others of which are welded to the sides 66. The sides 66 and the brackets 68- are positioned to slidably receive and to thereafter support the sub-assembly comprised of the middle assembly 14 and the upper assembly \12, with the side walls 44 of the middle assembly positioned within the sides 66 of the lower assembly and within the chambers 60 thereof.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the use of the rst embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 is illustrated. The -irst embodiment 10' is positioned on the forks 70 of a fork lift truck with the forks 70 extending into the fork lift receiving chambers 60 of the lower assembly 16. The rst embodiment ;10 in turn receives a bomb 7.2 or other large ordnance which is positioned on the roller assemblies 28 of the upper assembly 12. During transportation the bomb 72 is secured by straps 74 which are attached either to the bomb tie-down members 21 or to the bomb tie-down members 64, depending o-n whether it is desired to support the bomb 72 resiliently on the pneumatic springs 40 or rigidly, respectively.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the first embodiment 10 is shown mounted on a low prole lift truck 76 having a lifting mechanism. 78. A vertical `axis pivoting mechanism 80 is mounted on the end of the lifting mechanism 78 of the low-prolile lift truck 76 and the forks 70 extend from the pivoting mechanism 80. In use, the bomb 72 is transported to an aircraft by the low-profile lift truck 76 and is raised into vertical alignment with the bomb receiving portion of the aircraft by the lifting mechanism 78. The bomb 72 is then swung sideways into horizontal alignment with the bomb receiving portion by use of the vertical axis pivoting mechanism 80l on the lifting mechanism 78. Final positioning of the bomb 72 with respect to the aircraft is accomplished by rotating the bomb on the roller assemblies 28 and by manually adjusting the position of the bomb against the yaction of the pneumatic springs 40. The springs 40 allow sufcient rocking and tilting motion of the bomb 72 under manual pressure applied to the bomb for the bomb 72 to be secured to the bomb receiving portion of the aircraft without the use of hydraulically controlled bomb positioning mechanisms on the lift truck 76. f

Referring now to FIG. 7, a second embodiment 82 of the invention is shown. The second embodiment 82 includes a box frame 84 comprised of a plate 86 and a plurality of side walls 88 extending downwardly from the plate 86. The plate 86 has an elongate slot 90 formed in it and has a low friction pad 92 formed from a uorinated polyolein, such yas polytetrauoroethylene which is sold under the trademark Teflon, mounted on it. The pad 92 has a slot 94 formed in it that is similar in shape to the slot 90` formed in the plate 86.

A plate 96 is mounted on the low friction pad 92 and is supported thereon for sliding motion with respect to the plate 86. 'Ihe plate 96 is secured on the second embodiment 82 by a stud 98 extending through the slots 94 and 90, an enlarged retaining washer 100 having a diameter larger than the length of the slot 90 and a nut 102 mounted on the stud 98. As is shown in FIG. 5, the plate 96 has a plurality of roller receiving holes |104 formed in it which are similar to the roller receiving holes 26 formed in the plate 18 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1. Four of the roller assemblies 28 used in the dirst embodiment are positioned in selected ones of the holes 104 for receiving a bomb or other ordnance on the second embodiment 82.

The second embodiment 82 differs from the irst embodiment principally in that the box frame 84 is not supported on pneumatic springs similar to the springs 40 of the tirst embodiment, but rather is supported on four rubber shear pads 106 which in turn are supported on a lower rack `108 formed from four lengths of angle iron 110 that are welded together in the form of a rectangle. As is shown in FIG. 6, the shear pads 106 are positioned between an edge 112 on the box frame 84 and a lower edge 1114 of the angle irons of the lower raok 108. The shear pads 106 operate similarly to the pneumatic springs `40 in that they allow manual tinal positioning of an ordnance mounted on the roller assemblies 28 of the second embodiment 82.

Referring now to FIG. 8, the use of the second embodiment 812 is illustrated. The second embodiment is positioned on a lift table 116 which is in turn mounted on a lift truok (not shown). A bomb or other ordnance 118 is mounted on the roller assemblies 28 of the second embodiment 82 and the lift truck and the lift table 116 are used to horizontally and vertically position the bomb 118 with respect to the bomb receiving portion of an aircraft. The roller assemblies 28 permit rotational positioning of the bomb L18 and the low friction pad 92 of the second embodiment 82 permits lateral positioning of the bomb 118. lFinal adjustment of the positioning of the bomb 118 with respect to the bomb receiving portion of the aircraft is accomplished by manually adjusting the position of the bomb 118 against the action of the shear pads 106.

Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10, there is shown a third embodiment 120 of the invention which comprises a modification to a conventional low prolile lift truck design that allows manual final positioning of members carried on the lift truck. The third embodiment 120 includes a frame assembly 12-2 secured to the lifting portions 124 of a lift truck and a T-bar 126. The frame assembly 122 is comprised of a lower plate 128, a pair of side plates 130, `a. rear plate 132, and a pair of front plates 134 all of which extend upwardly from the plate 128. The T-bar 126 includes a lift fork receiving arm '1,36 which receives a pair of lift forks i138 and `a pair of laterally extending arms 140. The T-bar 126 is secured on the frame 122 by three rubber shear pads 142 which are positioned between the laterally extending arms 140` of the T-bar 126 and the front plates 134 of the frame '122 and between the T-bar 126 and the rear plate 132 of the frame 122.

FIG. l0 illustrates the use of the third embodiment 120. A plurality of bombs 144 are secured on a bomb supporting rack 146 of the type disclosed in the copending application of William N. Oswald filed May 22, 1967, Ser. No. 639,946, which is in turn supported on the lift forks 138 of the third embodiment 120. The bombs 144 are attached to a mer rack 148 which is used to secure the bombs to an aircraft. The lift truck of which the lifting portions 124 form a part is moved to the vicinity of an aircraft and the lifting portions 124I are used to elevate the third embodiment 120 to the vicinity of the bomb receiving portion of the aircraft. The bombs 144 and the mer rack 148 are then manually finally adjusted against the action of the shear pads 142 to position the bomb attaching portion of the mer rack 148 in alignment with the bomb receiving portion of the aircraft.

Referring now to FIG. 11, there is shown a fourth embodiment 150 of the invention which comprises an assembly adapted for attachment to a conventional lift truck to allow manual positioning of apparatus carried on the lift truck. The fourth embodiment 150 includes a rear plate 152 and a front plate 154 both of which extend vertically. The rear plate 152 includes a hook 156 adapted for attachment to the fork receiving portions of a conventional lift truck. The front plate 154 includes a bar 158 adapted to receive conventional lift forks 160.

A pair of brackets 162 extend from the rear plate 152 toward the front plate 154 and a pivot pin 164 extends between the brackets 162. A bracket 166 extends from the front plate 154 toward the rear plate 152 and is con'- nected to the pivot pin 164 by a spherical bearing 168 which allows horizontal and vertical pivoting of the front plate 154 with respect to the rear plate 152. A pair of shear pads 172 (only one of which is shown) are positioned between the front plate 154 and the rear plate 152 to allow manual adjustment of the positioning of apparatus carried on the forks 160 with respect to the rear plate 152.

In use, the fourth embodiment 150 is attached to a.l

conventional lift truck by engaging the hooks 156 with the fork receiving bar of the lift truck. Conventional lift forks 160 are then secured to the bar 158 of the fourth embodiment 150 in the manner in which they are normally secured to the fork receiving bar of the conventional lift truck. The lift truck is then used to receive and elevate apparatus in the conventional manner. However, because the fourth embodiment 150 is connected between the lift truck and the forks 160, the positioning of the apparatus carried on the forks 160 can be manually adjusted with respect to the lift truck against the action of the shear pads 172.

Although only four embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and described in the foregoing specification, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described, but is capable of modification, rearrangement and substitution of parts and elements without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A system for loading ordnance into aircraft including:

a low profile lift truck having a lift boom;

means for receiving the ordnance;

a resilient coupling between the receiving means and the lift boom for oatingly supporting the receiving means and the ordnance so that the ordnance can be mutually manipulated against the action of the coupling to facilitate coupling the ordnance to the aircraft;

means for permitting pivotal movement of the ordnance receiving means about a vertical axis, and

means for permitting pivotal movement of ordnance supported on the ordnance receiving means about a horizontal aXis.

2. The system for loading ordnance into aircraft according to claim 1 wherein the resilient coupling comprises at least one spring for supporting the ordnance receiving means on the lift boom.

3. The system for loading ordnance according to claim 2 wherein the resilient coupling comprises a plurality of fluid springs each connected between the lift boom and the ordnance receiving means.

4. The system for loading ordnance according to claim 3 wherein each of the fluid springs comprises an air filled flexible bag.

5. The system for loading ordnance according to claim 4 wherein the means for permitting pivotal movement of ordnance about a horizontal axis comprises a plurality of rollers for supporting ordnance on the ordnance receiving means.

6. The system for loading ordnance according to claim 1 wherein the resilient coupling comprises a plurality of shear pads for supporting the ordnance receiving means on the lift boom.

7. The system for loading ordnance according to claim 6 wherein the shear pads are positioned at spaced points around the periphery of the ordnance receiving means.

8. The system for loading ordnance according to claim 6 wherein the ordnance receiving means includes a horizontally disposed plate supported on the shear pads.

9. The system for loading ordnance according to claim 8 wherein the means for permitting pivotal movement of ordnance about a horizontal axis comprises a plurality of rollers for supporting ordnance on the horizontally disposed plate.

10. The system for loading ordnance according to claim 8 wherein the means for permitting pivotal movement of the ordnance receiving means about a vertical axis comprises a body of low friction material for supporting the plate on the shear pads.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,714,011 7/1955 Albee 214-1(D)X 2,780,377 2/1957 Glenn, Ir., et al. 214-620X 2,903,238 9/1959 Plandrick 214-1(D)UX 2,957,594 10/1960 Brenneman 214-620 3,087,630 4/1963 Karnow et al. 2114-1 (D) 3,095,987 7/1963 Sable 214-38(.10) 3,185,238 5/1965 Coates 2l4-1(D)X 3,281,118 10/1966 Krilanovich 214-1(D)X 3,446,366 5/ 1969 Miller 214-1(D) 3,462,025 8/1969 Tofolon 214-620X 3,484,004 12/1969 Hughey 214-1 (D)X 2,574,857 11/1951 Ball 214-95(R) 3,438,514 4/1969' Bose et al 214-1 (SW) FOREIGN PATENTS 1,500,012 9/ 1967 France 214-1 (D) GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner R. I. SPAR, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 214-131, 620 

